"Savage Beauty" by Alexander McQueen. Now showing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York through July 31, 2011

“Savage Beauty” by Alexander McQueen is not just the name of a retrospective of the late fashion designer’s wearable works of art and Haute Couture. “Savage Beauty” is a perfect two word representation of the life of an extremely creative artist whose life was cut short when he committed suicide in February 2010. Here’s a few things you should expect when you go see “Savage Beauty” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York: you’ll most likely experience a minimum of an hour long wait to get inside the exhibit (which is beyond worth the time investment). You’ll also see 6 galleries (The Romantic Mind, Romantic Gothic and the Cabinet of Curiosities, Romantic Exoticism, Romantic Nationalism, Romantic Primitivism and Romantic Naturalism) filled with some of the most interesting and creative designs the fashion world has ever seen. It’s no wonder that celebrities and musicians alike (such as Madonna, Lady Gaga and Bjork) wore outfits designed by Alexander McQueen. The looks he created are unforgettable.

Savage Beauty

Not only are the fashions he designed mind-blowing (from outfits made out of feathers, horsehair, metal, glass, fresh and fabric flowers, wood, razor clam and muscle shells) but the presentation of his works is also incredible. Each room has a distinct (and equally spooky) vibe to it. Clips of past runway shows appear on video screens that are sometimes shown encapsulated inside a large mirror box, sometimes shown as a wall projection and even appear on the ceiling on a large flat screen TV. Sound effects of suffocation are ever present in each room as if to foreshadow McQueen’s death from asphyxiation. It’s both savage and beautiful.

The "Armadillo Shoe"

If you are not in the New York area, you can see a couple of video tours of this incredible exhibit on New York Magazine’s website or on the official website of The Met. “Savage Beauty” by Alexander McQueen runs until July 31, 2011 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (located at 1000 5th Avenue in New York) and should not be missed under any circumstance.

"I find beauty in the grotesque, like most artists. I have to force people to look at things." - Alexander McQueen